This post reflects the thoughts and opinions of Juris Digital’s leadership team – Casey Meraz, Leann Pickard, and Matt Green. As a group, we condemn the federal government’s unlawful and inhumane approach to immigration enforcement.
The city I call home is being terrorized by the federal government.
More specifically, the most vulnerable members of our communities (people of color and poor people) are being targeted by armed, masked federal agents who are lawlessly and in many cases violently detaining them on suspicion of committing the misdemeanor of illegal entry into the United States.
Yesterday, one of our team members was directly impacted by this cruelty when a teacher at her child’s daycare was violently detained at the school. And that’s just the latest in a litany of outrages.
I want you to watch the news report above and ask yourself: Who would want this?
The worldview and perspective the federal government is using to justify its actions in Chicago – and in other cities across the US – are directly aligned with historical fascist movements.
These movements were obsessed with the idea of restoring their nation to a bygone era of greatness through a “national rebirth” aimed at achieving “national purity.”
Fascism is not a form of government — it’s a style of politics based on this obsession.
And it’s this style of politics – and that obsession – that is currently wreaking havoc on vulnerable families in Chicago and elsewhere.
If the federal government wants to enforce immigration laws, fine. They can even lie and say that it’s to keep Americans safe (when the truth is that undocumented immigrants commit crimes at less than half the rate of native-born US citizens).
But in this country, everyone – even non-citizens – is entitled to due process. Everyone is protected against unlawful search and seizure.
And putting the constitution aside, we are a country of people who do not want to see masked and heavily armed federal agents barge into daycare centers and violently arrest teachers in front of the toddlers they care for.
Aren’t we?
We call on all Americans who believe in the rule of law to reject this fascist style of politics and its cruel manifestations, like what we are witnessing in Chicago.
And we offer this reminder: Whenever you hear a politician blaming our problems on immigrants and poor people, you are being lied to by someone who doesn’t want themselves exposed as the actual cause of our discontent.
